Vietnam is a mood. It is a mood of wonderment, curiosity, optimism, and welcoming.

Down one street it will appear ancient, and around the next corner, ultra-modern. Its cities drone on endlessly and the silence of the countryside can be absolutely deafening.

It has immerged from a tragic, horrific past, thrust upon it by foreign invaders. Somehow the people manage to look to the future, not the past. They forgive and they open their arms to visitors. Happiness cannot be found in remembering the wars.

Having spent a little over 2 weeks in Vietnam we both agreed that it would be worthy of a return visit someday.

Two of our favourite places were: Hoi An and Tam Coc. We had the luxury of travelling in the low season so crowds were not an issue. The downside of our timing was that we had to work around heavy downpours that came several times a day. Hoi An, with its myriad of lanterns and Tam Coc, with endless limestone caves, is so difficult to capture in words and photos. I can only recommend a visit.

Surprisingly, we also really enjoyed the Old Quarter of Hanoi. It is funky, upbeat, intriguing and of course hectic.

They close off to all traffic, a very large area around the lake on weekends. It makes for a wonderful green playground for families during the day. At night a carnival atmosphere takes over with food vendors, street performers, and people just out having fun. I wish more cities understood the value of doing this.

Our Favourite Accommodations

Did I mention coffee? This country is COFFEE CRAZY, which is good for me. You are never more than a few steps away from a strong rich local coffee: brewed, blended, dripped, infused or iced. Served with milk, sweet milk, coconut, and even a beaten raw egg! No market for Starbucks here! I tried to keep my intake to under 3 a day.

Yes, Johanne and I both said we would love to return and without a doubt, the real reason for this is the Vietnamese people. As travellers we are always aware of how we are accepted and made to feel welcomed where we are. In travel, it always seems to come down to the people.

The people of Vietnam have a genuine caring about them; they sincerely want you to feel joy while you are visiting. I sense that it a traditional trait, not just something that they put on because they are getting paid. So often people would go out of their way to make sure that we had more than what we needed to enjoy our stay.

We stayed 2 nights in a family hotel/homestay in Tam Coc. The hospitality was lovely and not put on. When we checked out, we felt like we were saying goodbye to family.  They want you to come back. (Do consider homestays when you visit, they introduce you to everyday people and at the same time provide the privacy that we are comfortable with.)

So yes, Vietnam has many moods and all of them inviting. So much to love!

    No Starbucks here!